Boys on Bicycles and Pirate Girls
by FiBeeN
Summary: At the age of 12 Jack Robinson sold the coin collection he'd inherited from his uncle and used the money to buy his first bicycle. On that bicycle he rode further than he had ever ridden before. Through the uncharted wilds of North Richmond; where even Captain Flint didn't dare to tread and the Pirate girls of Collingwood ruled the waves.
1. Chapter 1

Boys on Bicycles and Pirate Girls

_At the age of 12 Jack Robinson sold the coin collection he'd inherited from his uncle and used the money to buy his first bicycle. On that bicycle he rode further than he had ever ridden before. Through the uncharted wilds of North Richmond; where even Captain Flint didn't dare to tread and the Pirate girls of Collingwood ruled the waves._

_There are two chapters to this fic. I will hopefully post the second half tomorrow._

_Please leave a review if you like it. There's nothing more disheartening than seeing lots people have viewed your story and no one has left a review._

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_Notes:_

_Captain Flint - Was the captain who hid the pirate plunder on Treasure Island. Long John Silver was his Quatermaster and had a parrot named after him. Thanks to Roseandthistle for the reminder._

_ Moreton Bay Fig – Massive Australian native tree. With large sprawling branches and exposed roots. There is something almost magical about these trees, even adults find them fascinating. See the picture attached to this story.  
_

_Cubby – Cubby house or playhouse._

_Golden Hind/Captain Drake/Queen Elizabeth – __Sir Francis Drake was an English sea captain under Queen Elizabeth I in the 16__th__ Century. To the English he was a hero (the second captain to circumnavigate the world) but to others he was a Pirate and slaver. His best known ship was the Golden Hind. Australian children would have (and often still are) been taught the English view of the Captain but they would have still known that he was a privateer (a pirate operating on behalf of his monarch) and the way pirates speak is much more fun._

_Sawbones – surgeon._

_Midshipman – lowest naval command rank._

_Cut of his jib – a nautical term that is often used to describe the way a person appears or looks._

_Richmond and Collingwood – suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria._

_Jack Tar – An English name for an ordinary seaman of the Royal or Merchant Navy._

_Lieutenant – In Australia we pronounce it Lef-ten-nant._

_Swag – a bundle of cloth used to carry something._

_Grammar – A private school generally for the children of wealthy people._

_Bold, bad girl – My nod to Enid Blyton's Elizabeth Allen (though she hadn't been created yet)._

_Kit – clothes/uniform._

_For England! – Australian children were usually raised to revere England. It was the mother country._

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1908

A hot summer's day somewhere in North Richmond.

The sandy haired school boy on a bicycle pulled up under the broad leafy canopy of a Moreton Bay Fig. He sighed in welcome of the relief from the sun's direct heat. The air was shimmering, with only the occasional cooling breeze to relieve those foolish enough to be moving around. He took his cap off and wiped his damp face on the back of his white shirt sleeve; a twig dropped on his head making him jump. Still straddling the bike, the boy reached down to un-strap a sweating canvas bag from where it hung off the handlebars. He had unstopped the spout and was taking a long drink of cool water when another twig landed on his head. Startled, he choked a little, spilling water down his front. As he reached up to brush the twig out of his hair he automatically looked up and found his gaze met by the greenest pair of eyes he'd ever seen. Their owner, a brown haired girl, about his own age was lying along a thick branch directly above his head.

"Hullo!" He grinned widely at his assailant (she'd clearly been entertaining herself by dropping things down on him).

"Hullo!" She smiled back and tossed a shrivelled fig. The boy swatted it away before it hit him.

"Nice perch you've found yourself. That's one of the best cubby's I've ever seen."

"Cubby be hanged man!" Her voice suddenly became almost mannish as she clambered to her feet. "Are you blind?" No, the young man was not blind. He hastily averted is eyes from the legs of the girl posing above him. "It's a ship, the Golden Hind to be exact." She suddenly realised the position she was in and sat down again; glaring defiantly at him, daring him to say anything about un-ladylike behaviour.

Safe, he looked back up at her proud face and felt his heart give a little skip. She was a bold, bad girl and he found her rather liked the cut of her jib. Still, best not to let on. "The Golden Hind eh? And you are?"

The girl swung into a well rehearsed spiel. "Avast ye scurvy landlubber! I be Captain Frannie Drake, scourge of the dastardly Spanish dogs and terror of the seven seas!" She gestured to a branch on the other side of the tree. The boy blinked up at another female figure, glowing as she was lit from behind by a shaft of sunlight. The pretty Captain continued. "This be me ship's sawbones." The girl dropped into a conspiratorial aside. "She's really Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth you know; she was tired of chopping people's heads off and decided to run away to sea instead."

The figure shifted position and the boy was surprised to find himself looking at a brilliant red head of hair. He bowed in best courtier's fashion. "Your Majesty, I'm honoured."

"We call her Doctor Maj, m'lad."

"Sorry Marm, I mean Doctor." The young charmer now gave a smart naval salute which was received with a toothy smile and a gracious nod.

"Ah-hem." A small voice drew his attention even higher. He could see this little bird clear enough against the dark leaves.

The Captain introduced the third player. "And this wee urchin is our scrappy cabin boy."

The little blonde girl piped up. "I'm Janie."

"Janie!" The Captain's exasperated voice had all the indicators of 'big sister'.

"Sorry Frye." Glare. "Oops I mean Cap'n." She tried again. "Ahoy there. I be The Fish... Arrr!"

The Captain nodded approvingly and continued. "Now you've met me crew, who be yew boy?"

The boy's mouth twitched with amusement as he thought for a moment. "I be known as Jack Tar Cap'n, experienced Midshipman and able first mate." He waited for her nod of acceptance of his credentials. "Permission to come aboard Marm?"

The green eyed girl started down at the open faced lad. He seemed jolly enough; a bit of a toff, but she could handle that. She and Maj together were an able match for any boy that got too big for his boots. Besides, she rather liked the cut of his jib.

"Permission granted matey. You can be my first Lieutenant. But fair warning, I'm the Captain and what I say goes. Any mutinous talk and I'll slit you open from neck to knee. Are we clear?"

"Aye aye Cap'n. No mutineers here marm."

Green eyes looked stern. "And we'll have none of that thank you. It's Captain or Sir!"

As the newly promoted Lieutenant dismounted his bicycle and went to lean it against the tree's massive exposed roots, Captain dropped out of the tree to stand beside him.

They stood, sizing each other up. She was a little taller than him, her hair a riot of tangles half pulled from their ribbons. She was just a little bit wild and his heart gave another mysterious skip as she looked him up and down. The girl saw a fair haired boy with warm brown eyes and wide shoulders and strong legs. He was obviously no namby-pamby mother's boy but he didn't mind her bossing him either.

Their mutual admiration was interrupted as she spoke. "Better stow your bicycle in the bushes."

"What?"

"Your bicycle, hide it in the bushes. You don't want anyone to steal it." He looked around puzzled by the apparent absence of potential thieves. This was the nice part of Richmond after all, not the wild streets of Collingwood.

"Trust me." She laid a hand on his forearm. "The pirates are coming. Now hurry. I need some more ammunition." Maj dropped down to join them and as Lt Jack hurried to conceal his transport, the girls laid their aprons on the ground and started piling them up with dried out figs and other debris.

Little Fish was still perched aloft keeping a weather eye out for trouble. "Ship Ahoy!" The Captain and Maj didn't look up at her cry, they just increase the pace of their efforts.

"Come on Lieutenant, shake a leg we need as much as we can carry." Jack Tar, knowing better than to ask questions at such a moment, stripped to his singlet and put his shirt to the same use as the girl's aprons.

Fish called again. "Hurry, they're at the end of the street!" Captain Drake and Maj bundled up their aprons into a swag to leave their hands free and then quickly helped the new Lieutenant top up his own pile. Fish was practically screeching now. "No time, no time! Come on!" There was a real sense of urgency as Jack secured his shirt to his belt. As the two girls started to climb the tree, he slung his waterbag around his neck and risked a glance behind him. Three well built school boys (Jack recognised their kit as belonging to the local Grammar) were pelting down the street towards them, each roaring a battle cry and brandishing long, thick sticks. Understanding now, he scrambled (hard on the girls heels) up into the relative safety of the large tree.

Captain Drake was at the thick central knot of the tree, shouting her orders as she pulled various items out of the natural hidey holes. She tossed a large rubbish pail lid to the sawbones "A shield for you Maj!" Jack, who was a little further up the tree got a tennis racquet. "Sorry Lieutenant, it was the best I could get at short notice." She called up to the plucky lookout. "You right up there Fish? The branches should protect you."

"Aye Captain."

Confident her crew were ready, their brave leader pulled out her own personal shield. Jack Tar blinked. _Was that a real silver breakfast tray?_ She caught his look and winked. _Yes sir, a bold, bad girl alright. _The Captain climbed a little higher. "Right men, everyone in position?" The crew chorused their replies. "Whatever you do, keep the Spanish dogs from gaining a foothold!" She lifted her pinafore to remove a slingshot from her knicker leg. "Arm yourselves! Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!" The new recruit's admiration for his Captain increased, he looked over to see Maj handling a similar weapon, shrugged and pulled his own slingshot from his pocket.

The attacking Pirates rushed up with a fearful yell, flinging their sticks like spears at the defending crew. The stick thrown by the tall dark haired leader of the Pirates was on target, but hit the Captain's silver shield and rebounded with a clang. "Hold... Hold!" Captain Drake steadied her crew, waiting for the perfect moment.

First salvo fired, the enemy now spread out to collect ammunition of their own before the leader and one of the smaller blonde boys (the tubby one) pulled out their own slingshots. When the third boy failed to produce a weapon, they turned their glares on him. He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "Sorry Fletch, father confiscated it this morning."

Fletch looked disgusted. "Well done Roger." He turned his attention back to the tree. "Never mind, they're only a bunch of silly girls."

"And a boy Fletch, look." Roger gesture towards where he'd just spotted the new crew member.

Fletch's eyes narrowed as he examined Jack where he stood, sans shirt. "I see we've got another cuckoo in the nest lads." He sneered up at the brown haired girl. "Nice one Collingwood! That's the first bit of sense you've shown, ringing in a boy to help you. Not that your flea bitten chum is going to make any difference." The Captain, waved her indignant crew to silence. "This tree is ours. These streets are ours. Why don't you and your ragamuffin friends just admit defeat and go back to where you came from?"

The Captain's answer to this rude statement was clear and unambiguous. "Fire!" Two dried up figs simultaneously hit Fletch. One in the jaw and the other in the middle of his forehead and before he had time to react, a third (fired by the Captain) hit him square in the mouth. "Nice shooting men! Let's teach the blaggards a lesson about Collingwood, cuckoos and ragamuffins that they'll never forget!" She screamed down defiantly. "For England!" and the battle was on.

Missiles and insults flew thick and fast. The little Fish safe in her lofty nest proved to be very inventive with a series of piratical insults. "We'll keel-haul ye, ye lily-livered kraken! Scupper that ye pox-faced swine!" Maj and Lt Jack were excellent shots but the Captain was inspired, never failing to hit her target. Yells and cries of pain came occasionally from the branches of the tree but their attackers were definitely getting the worst of it. The boys were covered in red welts, Roger already had a blood nose and Fletch the beginning of a shiner from a well placed pinecone.

But, just as victory seemed to be in the grasp of Drake's crew, disaster struck. Maj, in a superhuman effort to dodge to two missiles and fire off her own pinecone, lost her footing and began to slip. "Help!" The girl had managed to stop herself from falling by wrapping her arms around a convenient branch, but her legs were now dangling within the reach of the boys. Their defensive line was down. The Captain was closest to her fallen comrade and sprang to her aid but the boys from below were there sooner.

"Quick, get her legs." The boys mounted the lowest branch, Fletch wrapped his arms around the struggling girl's waist and the others wrestled with her flailing legs. She caught one in the jaw with her knee and then squealed when Fletch gave her a hard pinch in retaliation.

The Captain was trying desperately to drag her friend back up onto the branch. "Jack help!"

He was with her in a second, responding to the fear in her eyes, though he didn't understand her panic. "It's alright Cap'n. They've got her, she won't fall."

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	2. Chapter 2

Boys on Bicycles and Pirate Girls

_At the age of 12 Jack Robinson sold the coin collection he'd inherited from his uncle and used the money to buy his first bicycle. On that bicycle he rode further than he had ever ridden before. Through the uncharted wilds of North Richmond; where even Captain Flint didn't dare to tread and the Pirate girls of Collingwood ruled the waves._

_A guest reviewer just questioned the fact that I have Aunt P. living in a place like Richmond. Funnily enough I did check and there were some wealthy people living in large houses around the edges of North Richmond, higher up, away from any potential flooding. I admit to taking a little poetic licence with this one.  
_

_Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I know it's greedy of me but please leave more._

_Note:_

_Captain Flint - Was the captain who hid the pirate plunder on Treasure Island. Long John Silver was his quatermaster and had a parrot named after him. Thanks to Roseandthistle for the reminder._

_Willy-willy – a mini tornado or whirlwind (also called a Dust Devil)._

_Penny-dreadfuls - Cheap sensational story books (often published in serial form)_

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The Captain was trying to secure her friend's arms as they clung desperately to the branch. She urged Maj (whose eyes were wide with fright) to hold on before looking up at the boy on the branch above her. "Jack help!"

Though he didn't understand her panic, the Lieutenant was with her in a moment. He placed his hands reassuringly over hers. "It's alright Cap'n. They've got her, she won't fall."

The agitated girl spoke sharply. "Don't be a dolt Jack. We can't let them have her.

Fletch and his lot don't play fair and they won't let the fact that it's three against one girl stop them!"

"You mean?" Horrified, he didn't wait for confirmation before reaching down to grab the back of the redhead's pinafore whilst the Captain tried to haul on her arms. But all their efforts were to no avail. The boys had the advantage, Maj's grip was soon broken and she carried away from the tree, kicking and struggling. The Captain screamed her fury and made as if to leap down on top of her foe's heads but sensible Jack stopped her.

"Don't be a fool, you'll only end up hurting yourself and then what use will you be. Come on." Calling up to the now crying Fish to stay where she was, the pair of them hurried down to meet the wicked boys. Maj was surrounded, still and white faced. Fletch had her arm and had twisted it up behind her back. Jack itched to wipe the smug smile off the boy's face and after a quick glance at the girl beside him, he knew she was feeling the same way.

Fletch couldn't resist gloating. "Ah Collingwood and her ragamuffin, how kind of you to join us. Is there something you want?" He increased the pressure on Maj's arm and she bit her lip hard though her eyes were sparking with furious anger; so her friends knew she wasn't a beaten as their adversary thought.

"Let her go Fletch!" The Captain was a miniature tempest, wild hair, wild eyes, looking as if she would spit venom.

"Or what girly? Will you cry?" His compatriots chuckled and mimed sobbing into their hands.

"No." The Captain took half a step forward, silent communication was happening between her and the hostage. "You'll be the one crying by the time we're done with you." She shot a look towards her Lieutenant, lightning fast and speaking volumes. _Be ready!_ Jack's fists were already clenched, he was visibly shaking in fury himself.

She suddenly took another half step forward. _Now!_ Maj lifted her foot and stamped down as hard as she could on Fletch's ankle, spun out of his grip as it loosened and turned to meet the smallest boy (still half a head taller than her) with a raised fist as he came at her. The smack he received to the nose had him kissing dirt moments later, just as Jack sprang forward and landed a sweet punch on Fletcher's jaw whilst the Captain took out Roger (who was almost twice her weight) with a hard jab to the stomach and a knee to the chin. It was all over in seconds, Fish was cheering from the tree top and there were definite tears in Roger's eyes. Fletcher was ignobly sprawled on the ground looking decidedly the worse for wear and quite dazed.

The Captain and her crew were triumphant. "That'll teach you to pick on girls wont it?"

The plucky Fish climbed down to join them as they crowed over the defeated boys. "Yah, who are the ragamuffins now you son's of fleas."

The Captain cocked her head and turned her dazzling eyes on her Lieutenant, once again causing his heart to skip. "Nice to have you along Jack."

He grinned back at her. "Happy to be here Cap'n."

She was about to say something more when they heard a distant sound. "Bother! That's the first dinner bell. I didn't realise how late it was." She turned to the others. "Come on you lot, we better get cracking." She spoke again to Jack. "Sorry, we've got to go. Aunt P has definite views about people who are late for their dinner and we need to wash up first of course." She reached down and took hold of the smallest boy's arm and hauled him to his feet. Fletch and Roger were already moving off (presumably for their own dinners). "Stop complaining cousin." She brushed some of the dirt off his clothes before handing him a grubby handkerchief to hold against his streaming nose. "Honestly, what did you expect to happen, taking Fletch's side like that? You know what he's like, you ought to be ashamed of yourself."

As she was busy chastising her cousin, Maj stepped up to her friend and brushed the tangle of brown hair out of her eyes. The Captain groaned. "It's a mess again isn't it?"

"It's going to take hours to work out the tangles I'm afraid."

"Oh well, perhaps Aunty will let me cut it this time." She looked at Jack. "Sorry to duck out on you."

"That's alright. I better head for home myself."

Fish spoke up, clutching at his arm "You'll come back tomorrow won't you Lieutenant?"

He smiled down at the little blonde girl. "If you want me to."

"Oh yes, we're going the reserve to bathe in the river aren't we Frye?" But, the two older girls were already on the move and simply shook Jack's hand and reassured him of his welcome.

"Come on Janie, get a move on." Jack stood in silent farewell as the four children squeezed through the bushes of what was presumably their home and then went to retrieve his bicycle.

He was just wheeling it into the street when there was a sudden rush of movement behind him and before he could react, someone tapped his shoulder. He spun to face the bold, bad girl with the pretty green eyes.

"I forgot something."

"What?" His heart was suddenly inexplicably in his throat.

"This." She leant forward a kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "See you tomorrow!" And then, like a willy-willy, she was gone leaving nothing but a waft of hot air and the warm tingle of her lip print on his skin.

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Epilogue:

Phryne Fisher, Lady Detective and retired buccaneer was enjoying an intimate candlelit dinner for two with the man she loved and would one day probably marry.

They had been talking about some of their happy memories of childhood. Jack Robinson had been surprised to find that, though Phryne had generally lived poverty and suffered the unbearable loss of a beloved sister, she had many a good rollicking tale to tell.

Jack's memories were, by contrast, very plain and ordinary. His conservative parents had carefully controlled his movements and it had only been his bicycle that had allowed him a glorious taste of freedom.

Phryne caught his smile as he reminisced and questioned it.

"Nothing really, I was just remembering how I used to feel when I was out on my bicycle. It was if I could fly. There wasn't a street I didn't explore in that first summer."

"Through the darkest wilds of North Richmond I think you said?" She remembered their conversation after their return from Queenscliff. "Boys on bicycles..." Phryne looked thoughtful, something was tickling her memory.

"... and Pirate Girls... "Jack had realised their mutual history the night after that very conversation; he carefully schooled his features to look innocent. If Phryne had noticed she would have been instantly suspicious.

She caught the memory. "I met a boy on a bicycle once."

"There's always some innocent boy in your stories."

"Don't be silly Jack." She play slapped his arm where it was resting next to hers on the table. "This was a boy on a bicycle in North Richmond." Bingo! That's what he'd been waiting to hear. Jack settled back in his chair to listen, he was going to enjoy this.

"We were staying with Aunt P. Mac was with us, her father was Aunt P's doctor you know. Anyway, we were great friends and my Aunt rather approved of her, so she was invited to stay too. I think I was about 12." Her face was suddenly wistful. "Actually, it was the last summer before Janie..." Jack silently kicked himself for steering her towards the story, he hadn't thought about how close to Janie's death it would take her.

He reached out and took her hand. "Don't tell me if it upsets you."

Her fingers squeezed his in gratitude. "It's fine. I'm fine. It's actually nice to remember her like this. I've been caught up in the sad memories for far too long; it's time to recall the laughter." She let go of his hand, patted it and picked up her glass of port. "Now, where was I?"

"The boy on the bicycle." Jack was still concerned but was prepared to hope for the best. After all, there was no reason to suddenly stop trusting her judgement now.

"Ah yes!" She took a sip. "There was a fig tree in the street outside Aunt P's place, one of those really big ones with all the twisted roots."

"A Morton Bay Fig."

"That's the chap. Best tree for climbing that you ever saw. We loved that tree and spent every minute we could in it."

"It's not there now." He'd gone back and checked after he'd remembered.

"No, more's the pity. Something about drains or course, but it's a real shame. It was a beautiful tree, with a whole world in its branches." She let her mind drift a little, recalling magical adventures and the distant lands of childhood. Jack gave a small cough which broke through her reverie. She laughed and for a moment her eyes looked just as young and carefree as he remembered. "Sorry Jack, I'm being a bit scatterbrained tonight. I was telling you about the boy."

"What was he like?"

"Well handsome of course, you know me. Fair hair, wide shoulders." She eyed Jack's shoulders, square and strong. "I've always been rather partial to a broad shouldered man and I think that's down to him."

"Made quite an impression did he?"

"You could say that."

"What was his name?"

"Actually, I never did find out. We were playing Pirates. I was the Captain, Mac was the ship's surgeon and Janie was our cabin boy. He appeared on his bicycle and we invited him to join the crew, we made him first mate or something."

Phryne launched into the tale. She told it well, though a little differently from the way Jack remembered it.

The boy on the bicycle had appeared from nowhere. She'd clobbered him on the head with a pinecone.

"Just your little way of saying hello I suppose?"

Her eyelashes flirted. "You know me Jack, I like to make an impression." She continued her tale. The boy had taken it well and his smile had made her heart race.

The adult Jack's sudden warm smile raised a similar flutter. "Don't laugh, I _was_ only 12."

"And had secret passion for penny-dreadfuls I suppose." It wasn't a difficult guess considering the colourful Pirate language the girls had used. Phryne was impressed though.

"How on earth did you deduce that my Sherlock?"

"Must I remind you that I _am_ a Detective Inspector. They tell me that deduction is part of my job."

"Is it indeed? I'll have to keep that in mind."

She picked up the threads of her story. The young Jack Tar, as they'd called him, had turned out to be a gallant hero, fiercely defending their 'ship' from marauding Spanish Pirates. He'd proved to be an excellent shot and when Mac had been captured, he'd been prepared to risk life and limb by flinging himself from the 'yardarm' onto the enemy in a desperate attempt to rescue her.

"It sounds like you were quite taken with the lad." _Enough to kiss me at any rate._

"I was rather, though I wasn't the only one."

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Surely not Mac?"

"No, Janie. He was all she talked about for week afterwards."

Jack wrestled down a surge of embarrassment. "And you never saw him again?" _As far as you know._

"We were supposed to meet the next day but we were in a bit of a state when we got home. Guy's nose was twice its normal size from where Mac had punched him. Aunt P. was furious as it was." She rolled her eyes. Jack was somewhat sympathetic, he'd seen her Aunt in a snit. Phryne hadn't finished though. "Then, to top it all off, the ringleader's father came around to complain. According to him we'd been trailing round with a gang of ruffians from Collingwood and had set upon poor little Fletch and Roger. We all spent the next day in bed and then we were sent home."

_Well that explained a lot._ He suddenly sat up straight. "Wait! Did you just say Fletch and Roger?" He'd forgotten the names of the other boys.

Phryne was surprised by his sudden start. "Yes, why?"

"Sidney Fletcher and my ex-brother-in-law Roger went to the same school; I believe they grew up together over that way."

"No! I don't believe it. Surely not..."

As Phryne debated the idea with herself, Jack sat back in contentment, sipping his Port. It was nice to have one over on Phryne for a change but the memory of punching Sidney Fletcher in the jaw was distinctly satisfying. He interrupted his lover as she came to the conclusion that he was right.

"You left something out of your story you know Miss Fisher."

"Sorry? What do you mean?"

"The silver breakfast tray, where on earth did you acquire it?"

"What?!" The bold, bad girl who could make his heart skip a beat, choked in shock and then her green eyes widened with dawning understanding. "You?... But... Good Lord!"

"Aye Cap'n!"

THE END

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_I wish I could write more young Phryne and Jack adventures but sadly it would mean a departure from my universe. After all, if they had continued to meet, Jack would have eventually learned her name and there's no way he would have then forgotten something that unusual._


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